Large-picture camera

ABSTRACT

A large-picture camera for producing a positive photographic picture of an object especially a human being, in essentially natural size, comprises means for supporting a positive photographic material at an image plane which is adjacent a pickup area, a reflective objective constituted by a concave reflector for forming an image of the object positioned at the pick-up area in the image plane, illuminating means including at least one flashlamp arranged to illuminate the object at the pick-up area, second supporting means for adjustably supporting the reflector in opposed relationship to the pick-up area, and the adjacent first supporting means such that an object at the pick-up area is imaged by the reflective objective at the image plane. Screen means prevent any substantial amount of light stemming from the illuminating means from arriving at the image plane via any other path than via the reflective objective.

United States Patent 1 Kraus Dec. 4, 1973 LARGE-PICTURE CAMERA [76]Inventor: Warner Kraus, 31 Bauerstrasse,

Munich, Germany [22] Filed: Aug. 6, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 169,633

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 7, 1970 Germany P 20 39373.1

[52] US. Cl. 95/82, 355/52, 352/85 [51] Int. Cl. G03b 15/06 [58] Fieldof Search 95/11, 15, 70, 82;

Primary Examiner-John M. l-loran Attorney-George H. Spencer et a].

[5 7] ABSTRACT A large-picture camera for producing a positivephotographic picture of an object especially a human being, inessentially natural size, comprises means for supporting a positivephotographic material at an image plane which is adjacent a pick-uparea, a reflective objective constituted by a concave reflector forforming an image of the object positioned at the pickup area in theimage plane, illuminating means including at least one flashlamparranged to illuminate the object at the pick-up area, second supportingmeans for adjustably supporting the reflector in opposed relationship tothe pick-up area, and the adjacent first supporting means such that anobject at the pick-up area is imaged by the reflective objective at theimage plane. Screen means prevent any substantial amount of lightstemming from the illuminating means from arriving at the image planevia any other path than via the reflective objective.

15 Claims, 8 Drawing figures PATENTEUBEB 4 I975 SHEET u [1F 8 Fig.4

PMENTEU DEC 75 SHEET 7 BF 8 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to alarge-picturecamera for producing'positivepictures of an object, preferably'of a human being'in substantiallynatural size, with a filmholder for a positive photographic material, anobjective for imaging the object placed at a ick-up point to thephotographic material, and at least one flashlamp for the short-timeilluminating of the object to be photographed.

Cameras for taking a positive picture of an object to bephotographedwithin a short period of time are known. Also, it is known to providesuchcameras with a flashlight. But the known cameras of this kind arenot suitable for producing large-size pictures suchas the so-calledposters, for which there exists a. great demand at the present time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is thereforeto provide a relatively inexpensive large-picture camera, by whichpositive pictures of a human being or another object can be made insubstantially natural size.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a

camera or photographicapparatus for taking large-size pictures of anobject, e.g. of a humanbeing, comprises a filmholder for a positivephotographic material, an objective for imaging the human beingsituated. ata pick-up point onto the photographic material, and at leastone flashlamp for short-time illuminating of the object to bephotographed. The camera or-photographic apparatus is characterized inthat the objective is a mirror objective comprising a concave mirrorwhich is placed at an adjustable holding position in front of thefilmholder and in front of the pick-up point provided near thefilm-holder. A screening wall is arranged between the filmholder and thepick-up point, and extending in the direction towards the concavemirror. The flash-lamp cs) is (are) placed in such a. way:

that the flashlamp is shielded off by the screening wall from thephotographic material. v

The mentioned parts can be arranged .on-a platform provided withrollers, so that the whole: camera can easily be moved and transported.

The picturing scale will preferably be chosen slightly smaller than 1 l,for instance 2 3, as it has shown that photographs of full scale givethe impression .of over life size.

The camera according to the present invention gives for the first timeto the person to be photographed the opportunity to shape the picture byhimself, and'not just to be a passive photographic object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS camera, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view of the largepicture cameraaccording to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a simplified schematic representation of another embodiment ofa large-picture camera in accor dancewith the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a film-holder foruse in alarge-picture camera in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan-view of alarge-picture camera in accordance withstill another embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are partly sectional views in elevation of both sides ofthe large-picture camera in accordance with FIG. 5, viewed in thedirection 6-6 and 7-7 of FIG. 5 respectively; and

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of a flashlight equipment for alarge-picture camera in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiment of thelarge-picture camera represented schematically in FIGS. 1 and 2,comprises a platform 10, which. is preferably provided with rollers, sothat the whole camera can be easily moved in a studio. A filmholder 14for a positive photographic material is positioned at the back-part ofthe platform 10 on the left side (as seen in FIG. 1). Preferably, apositive paper with silver-diffusion-coating will be used forphotographic material, which is a commercial product delivering directlypositive usable pictures. The dimensions of the filmholder could, forexample, be 1 X 2 meters, so that a sheet of paper can be fixed, whichpermits taking a photographic picture of a human being in essentiallynatural size. A stand (tripod) 16 is provided at the front part of theplatform 10, and supports a concave mirror or reflector 18, serving as aphotographic objective. A fixture 20 of the concave reflector shown onlyschematically permits preferably tipping of the concave reflector aroundtwo axes as well as a movability of the concave reflector in thedirection of the filmholder 14. g

A screening wall 26 is provided between the pickup point 22, which isprovided at the right rearward part of the platform 10 where the person24 to be photographed is located during taking, of the photograph andthe film-holder 14. The wall 26 must, of course, not hinder the path ofrays between the person 24, and the filmholder 14. The wall 26 isconstructed such that it shields off the light radiated by a preferablypair of flashlamps 28 and permits illuminating the person 24 to bephotographed with the photographic material in the filmholder 14. Thescreening wall 26 is preferably, as represented, bent into a partially-U-shape and can serve in a well known manner as a background mockup.

The flashlamps 28'are adjustably supported by stands 30, which in turnare preferably fixed to the platform 10. The flashlamps 28 are connectedtoLa normal electronic flash equipment 32, which can b released by atrigger mechanism at the pick-up point 22, preferably by a foot switch34 actuated by the person to be photographed itself. Beside the mirror18 serving as photographic objective, a plane control mirror] 36 isprovided in this embodiment represented only by dotted lines in FIG. 2which permits a control by the person to be photographed of the picturewhich is projected onto the photographic material.

The flashlamps 28 preferably are combined with additional light sources,for instance electric bulbs, which render possible the focusing of thecamera before taking the photograph. Either of these bulbs can give off,

for example, red light to which the photographic material is notsensitive. Alternatively a color filter (not shown) can be hinged infront of the concave reflector 18 which prevents a pre-exposure of thephotographic material.

The function of the shutter of the described camera will be assumed bythe flashlamps.

Another embodiment of the present invention, represented in plan view inFIG. 3, differs from the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2 mainlybecause it is provided with two filmholders 14, 14 and two concavereflectors 18m 18. The two concave reflectors 18, 18 are arranged sothat at an appropriate position of the person 24 to be photographed, afrontal picture is projected onto the photographic material supported bythe filmholder, preferably the filmholder 14', and a profile picturewill be produced on the photographic material supported by the otherfilmholder, preferably the filmholder 14. The screening wall 26 is inthis case U- shaped, so that both filmholders 14 and 14 are screenedagainst the light of the flashlamps 28, which are mainly arranged withinthe space encircled by the U-shaped screening wall 26 on the platform10. In other respects, the embodiment of FIG. 3 is similar to that ofFIGS. 1 and 2 and like reference numbers have been used forcorresponding parts.

The term filmholder should be understood in its broadest sense andcomprehend all installations or means which are suitable to hold thephotographic material during the exposure and preferably also during thesubsequent processing, including drying after development. Thus, thefilmholder can, for example, comprise an open-structured frame or aperforated plate, on which the photographic material is fixed by clamps.

Preferably the filmholder is constructed to serve also as a trough forthe subsequent development, fixing, and washing of the photographicmaterial. In this case, the filmholder can, for example, compriseseveral plastic plates connected by fusing or welding and forming ashallow liquid-impervious box 40 (FIG. 4), which can be closed andlighttight in the usual way bya shutter or the like (not shown). The box40 is provided with two fittings 42, 44 which can be connected topipelines, which for example, lead to the discharge side of a pump 46and to a return pipe 48 respectively. During the processing, forexample, developer can be pumped by the pump 46 from a stock bin 50 intothe trough 40' formed by the filmholder. The treatment liquid will thenflow back through the fitting 44 and the return pipe 48 to the stock bin50 and will then be sucked in again by the pump 46. In this way, thephotographic material can remain within the filmholder from the time ofpicture taking until the finished dried picture, which remarkablysimplifies the photographic processmg.

If a simple clamping frame or a plate is used as the filmholder, thenthese can be provided before and after the taking of the photograph witha slipped-over, lighttight bag, made for instance of black plastic film.In a darkroom the frame or the plate can then be hang into a trough,which contains the necessary treatment liquids.

The embodiment represented in FIGS. 5,6 and 7 also comprises a concavemirror 18 serving as an objective, which images a person 24 placed atthe pick-up point 22 on a film 15, which in turn is fixed to afilmholder 14. The filmholder 14 here consists of an upright frame 14,on the top of which is a bin for a stock paper roll 17, from which apiece of paper of the required length can be pulled down and broughtinto the picture taking position when necessary. Behind the filmholder14, which serves as a paper-holder, there is situated developmentequipment 19, which can be constructed in a usual way to contain atrough for the treatment of the photographic paper as well as a dryingplant.

The space in front of the filmholder 14 is closed lighttight by a walland can be entered through a door 142 which also serves as a shutter.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 the light from the person 24 tobe photographed 24 is not received directly by the concave reflector 18but rather via a reflector column 144. The column 144 is rotatablysupported on a vertical axle 146 and is rotated around the axle 146 bymoving means 146'. The column 144 has at least two reflecting surfaces.Preferably, as shown, the column 144 has several reflecting surfaces146a l46b which can be used selectively.

Initially, the reflecting column 144 is in a first index position suchthat the person 24 to be photographed can see himself to check the wayhe will be imaged on the photographic material 15. At the moment when heactuates the switch 34, door 142 is opened by an actu- I ating device,not shown, and column 144 is rotated by the moving means 146 and by aselected angle to a second index position such that the person 24 willbe imaged onto the photographic material 15 via the selected reflectingsurface and the concave reflector 18.

As a result the person 24 can photograph himself and arrange the imageentirely in accordance with his own desires. He can try differentpositions before the reflector until he has found the correct positionfor taking the picture, and then operate the switch 34. At the momentthat switch 34 is actuated, the reflecting column 144 swings into theexposure-taking position, the door 142 opens, and then the person 24 islighted by the flashlamps 28 and consequently photographed. All theseactions are effected automatically in the right sequence by operatingthe switch 34 and the release mechanism.

In order to enlarge the arranging possibilities, the reflecting column44 has a number of different takingpositions. At the taking-positionrepresented in FIG. 5, two plane reflectors are in active position, andthe person 24 is imaged by these reflectors from the front and from theside on the photographic material 15. On two side by side parts of thephotographic material 15 thus a frontal and a profile image isphotographed.

Other reflectors can be formed as concave, convex or I many othermanner, in order to obtain a distortion or strange deformation of theimage. Preferably a very slightly convex reflector is provided, whicheffects a slightly more slender image. In this case the result is a morenatural impression as with a normal image, because of the fact that theimage of an approximately cylindrical bo'dy projected on a plane alwayshas the effect of being sceningly broader than it is observed directly.

The whole arrangement can be surrounded by walls 148, which areaccessible by doors 150,152.

According to a further feature of the present invention, the concavereflector serving as objective 18 is provided with a mechanism 154 whichpermits a slight deformation of the reflector. As a result it ispossible to bend the reflector l8 selectively slightly around a verti--cal or horizontal axle, such that both the imaging effect of thespherical or parabolic reflector and the distortion of a cylindricalreflector with vertical respectively horizontal axis is obtained. Bythis the photograph can be slightly stretched as desired in the verticalor horizontal direction. The deformation can easily be ef fectedmechanically by remote-controlled adjusting screws or by a pneumatic orhydraulic device and can be controlled from the pick-up point 22.

As the positive photographic material is comparatively insensitive, itis necessary to illuminate the person 24 relatively strongly. Inprinciple this is easily possible with the usual xenon flashbulbs, butthen there is a risk that the eyes of the person to be photographed willbe extremely dazzled if not injured. In order to avoid this, preferablyseveral flashbulbs are used and fired in short sequence after another sothat the maximum intensity of illumination will not exceed a given safevalue. Instead of one single short intensive flash there will thus be asequence of weaker flashes, the intervals between which beingsufficiently long, so that their light output does not overlap at all ordoes overlap only with their extensions such that the illuminationintensity will never be markedly greater than that of a singleflashlamp.

FIG. 8 is a circuit which diagrammatically represents a flashlampequipment which meets these conditions. It contains a number offlash-bulbs 60a to 60n, which may be known xenon gas discharge tubes anda discharge capacitor 62a to 62n respectively connected across each ofthese flashbulbs and connected by a charging resistor 64a to 64nrespectively, to. a high voltage source 66.

Trigger electrodes 68a to 68n of the flashbulbs are each connected to anindividual ignition transformer 70a to 70n respectively, the primary ofwhich is connected in series with an SCR or thyristor 74ato 74n across adischarge capacitor 76a to 76n respectively. The capacitors 762a to 76nare charged over a resistor by a power source (not shown). The triggerelectrodes 68a to 68n of the thyristors 74a to 74n are connected to tapsof a delay line which comprises series resistors 80a to 80n and parallelcapacitors 82a to 82n. The trigger electrode 68a of the thyristor 74a isconnected to a first end of the delay line, the trigger electrode 68b ofthe thyristor 74b to the connection of the resistors 80a and 80b etc.,as shown in FIG. 8. The first or input end of the delay line isconnected by a trigger switch 84 to .a source of trigger voltage U,,.

The trigger switch 84 is closed by actuating the switch 34 and thus therelease mechanism (in the embodiment according to FIG. 5 the closing isdelayed for such a time interval, that the reflecting column 144 canmove into the taking position and the door 142 can open). By the closingof the trigger switch 84 the ignition voltage is applied to the triggeror gate electrode of the thyristor 74a and the flashbulb 60a fires.After a certain interval of delay the capacitor 82a has been charged'tosuch an extent through resistor 80a, that also the thyristor 74b andthus, the flashbulb 60b fire. In this way, correspondingly all theflashlamps 60a to 60n are fired shortly one after another. Suppose thata flash lasts for about I millisecond and that ten flashlamps areprovided, the delay line can be adjusted, such that the series offlashes is distributed over milliseconds, which amounts to anexposurc'time of l/ 100 second. Thus acceptable instantaneousphotographs are possible without the intensity of illumination reachinga dangerous value.

Various modifications and variations of the described embodiments willbecome obvious for those skilled in the art and will fall under thescope of the following claims.

I claimz' l. A large-picture camera for producing a positivephotographic picture of an object, especially a human being, inessentially full size, comprising first means for supporting a positivephotographic recording material at an image plane, a pick-up area, saidpick-up area being adjacent said first supporting means, a reflectiveobjective comprising a concave reflector for forming an image of theobject positioned at said pick-up area in said image plane, illuminatingmeans comprisin'g at least one flashlamp arranged to illuminate saidobject at said pick-up area,

second supporting means for adjustably supporting said reflector inopposed relationship to said pickup area and said first supporting meanssuch that an object at said pick-up area is imaged by said reflectiveobjective at said image plane,

screen means including a wall between said pick-up area and said firstsupporting means, and extending in the direction of said concavereflector so that any substantial amount of light stemming from saidilluminating means arrives at said image plane via no other path thanthat containing said objective, and

a second reflector rotatably supported about a vertical axis andprovided in spaced relationship with said first supporting means andsaid pick-up area, said second reflector having a plurality ofselectable reflective surfacesand having first and second indexpositions, said first index position enabling a human being to observean image on one selective reflective surface of said second reflectorsimilar to the image formed by said concave reflector at said imageplane and the second index position enabling the subject to be imagedvia another selected reflective surface and said concave reflector ontosaid image plane.

2. The camera as defined in claim 1, further comprising a platformprovided with rollers, wherein said first and second supporting means,said screen means and said illuminating means are arranged on saidplatform.

3. The camera as defined in claim 1, wherein one of the reflectivesurfaces of said second reflector is a substantially planar reflector.

4. The camera as defined in claim 1 wherein said wall is generallyU-shaped relative to a horizontal plane.

5. The camera as defined in claim 1, further comprising third supportingmeans for supporting a positive photographic recording material arrangedon the opposite side of said pick-up area in respect to said firstsupporting means, and an additional reflective objective said first andthird supporting means and said reflective objectives being separatelyarranged such that one of said objectives produces an essentiallyfrontal picture of a human being positioned at said pick-up point atsaid first supporting means and the other of said objective produces anessentially profile picture of the human being at said third supportingmeans.

6. The camera as defined in claim 1, further comprising release meansprovided at said pick-up area for actuating said illuminating means.

7. The camera as defined in claim 6, wherein said release meanscomprises a switch actuable by foot.

8. The camera as defined in claim 1, wherein said first supporting meansincludes a processing trough.

9. The camera as defined in claim 8, wherein said trough has twofittings for the supply and draining off of a processing liquid.

10. The camera as defined in claim 1, wherein said first supportingmeans comprises an open-structured frame adapted to support saidphotographic material during drying.

11. The camera as defined in claim 1, further comprising means formoving said column from said first index position into said second indexposition upon actuation of a release mechanism.

12. The camera as defined in claim 1, wherein said illuminating meanscomprise a number of gas discharge flashlamp tubes and means for firingsaid tubes is succession after actuation of a release mechanism.

13. The camera as defined in claim 1, further comprising fourthsupporting means adapted to support a supply of photographic materialadjacent said plate, and wherein said first supporting means comprises aframe for positioning said photographic material in said image plane.

14. A large-picture camera for producing a positive photographic pictureof an object, especially a human being, in essentially full size,comprising first means for supporting a positive photographic recordingmaterial 7 at an image plane, a pick-up area, said pick-up area beingadjacent said first supporting means, a reflective objective comprisinga concave reflector for forming an image of the object positioned atsaid pick-up area 8 in said image plane, illuminating means comprisingat least one flashlamp arranged to illuminate said object at saidpick-up area,

second supporting means for adjustably supporting said reflector inopposed relationship to said pickup area and said first supporting meanssuch than an object at said pick-up area is imaged by said reflectiveobjective at said image plane, screen means including a wall betweensaid pick-up area and said first supporting means, and extending in thedirection of said concave reflector so that any substantial amount oflight stemming from said illuminating means arrives at said image planevia no other path than that containing said objective, a secondreflector provided in spaced relationship with said first supportingmeans and said pick-up area for enabling a human being to observe animage on said second reflector similar to the image formed by saidconcave reflector at said image plane, and an essentially light-tightcompartment, said first supporting means being enclosed by saidcompartment, and said compartment having a door which is movable betweenfirst and second positions, the first position being such that saidcompartment is closed and the second position being such that lightstemming from said object and reflected by said reflective objective cantravel to said image plane. 15. The camera as defined in claim 1,further comprising means provided to impart to said reflector a slightcylindrical curvature.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PataniNo-3.776.120 Datai December 4th, 1973 Inventor Werner Kraus It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading of the patent, line 2, change "Warner" to --Werner-.Column 1, line 41, change "lamp cs)" to lamp(s). Column 2, line 44,after "filmholder l4." insert The wall 26 must, of course, not hinderthe path of rays between the person 24, and the filmholder l4.. Column3, line 12, change "18m" to -l8,-. Column 4, line 14, after"photographed" delete "24"; line 21, change "l46b" to l46d.

1 Column 8, line 6, change "than" to -that-.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. 0. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents FORM powso (meg) uscoMM-oc wan-ps9 Q 0.5. GOVERNMENT PRINTINGOFFICE I989 0-365-53L UNITED S'ITATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION Patent No. 3,775,120 Dated December 4th, 1973 l v fl WernerKraus It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patentand that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading of the patent, line 2, change "Warner" to -Werner-.Column 1, line 41, change "lamp cs)" to --lamp(s). Column 2, line 44,after "filmholder l4." insert The wall 26 must, of course, not hinderthe path of rays between the person 24, and the'fi'lmholder l4.-. Column3, line 12, change "18m" to -l8,-. Column 4, line 14, after"photographed" delete "24"; line 21, change "l46b" to -l46d--.

' Column 8, line 6, change "than" to -that--.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. 0. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents FORM po'wso (10459) USCOMM-DC 60876-P69 U.$. GOVERNMENT PRINTINGOFFICE I9! 0-366-S8L

1. A large-picture camera for producing a positive photographic pictureof an object, especially a human being, in essentially full size,comprising first means for supporting a positive photographic recordingmaterial at an image plane, a pick-up area, said pick-up area beingadjacent said first supporting means, a reflective objective comprisinga concave reflector for forming an image of the object positioned atsaid pick-up area in said image plane, illuminating means comprising atleast one flashlamp arranged to illuminate said object at said pick-uparea, second supporting means for adjustably supporting said reflectorin opposed relationship to said pick-up area and said first supportingmeans such that an object at said pick-up area is imaged by saidreflective objective at said image plane, screen means including a wallbetween said pick-up area and said first supporting means, and extendingin the direction of said concave reflector so that any substantialamount of light stemming from said illuminating means arrives at saidimage plane via no other path than that containing said objective, and asecond reflector rotatably supported about a vertical axis and providedin spaced relationship with said first supporting means and said pick-uparea, said second reflector having a plurality of selectable reflectivesurfaces and having first and second index positions, said first indexposition enabling a human being to observe an image on one selectivereflective surface of said second reflector similar to the image formedby said concave reflector at said image plane and the second indexposition enabling the subject to be imaged via another selectedreflective surface and said concave reflector onto said image plane. 2.The camera as defined in claim 1, further comprising a platform providedwith rollers, wherein said first and second supporting means, saidscreen means and said illuminating means are arranged on said platform.3. The camera as defined in claim 1, wherein one of the reflectivesurfaces of said second reflector is a substantially planar reflector.4. The camera as defined in claim 1 wherein said wall is generallyU-shaped relative to a horizontal plane.
 5. The camera as defined inclaim 1, further comprising third supporting means for supporting apositive photographic recording material arranged on the opposite sideof said pick-up area in respect to said first supporting means, and anadditional reflective objective said first and third supporting meansand said reflective objectives being separately arranged such that oneof said objectives produces an essentially frontal picture of a humanbeing positioned at said pick-up point at said first supporting means ,and the other of said objective produces an essentially profile pictureof the human being at said third supporting means.
 6. The camera asdefined in claim 1, further comprising release means provided at saidpick-up area for actuating said illuminating means.
 7. The camera asdefined in claim 6, wherein said release means comprises a switchactuable by foot.
 8. The camera as defined in claim 1, wherein saidfirst supporting means includes a processing trough.
 9. The camera asdefined in claim 8, wherein said trough has two fittings for the supplyand draining off of a processing liquid.
 10. The camera as defined inclaim 1, wherein said first supporting means comprises anopen-structured frame adapted to support said photographic materialduring drying.
 11. The camera as defined in claim 1, further comprisingmeans for moving said column from said first index position into saidsecond index position upon actuation of a release mechanism.
 12. Thecamera as defined in claim 1, wherein said illuminating means comprise anumber of gas discharge flashlamp tubes and means for firing said tubesis succession after actuation of a release mechanism.
 13. The camera asdefined in claim 1, further comprising fourth supporting means adaptedto support a supply of photographic material adjacent said plate, andwherein said first supporting means comprises a frame for positioningsaid photographic material in said image plane.
 14. A large-picturecamera for producing a positive photographic picture of an object,especially a human being, in essentially full size, comprising firstmeans for supporting a positive photographic recording material at animage plane, a pick-up area, said pick-up area being adjacent said firstsupporting means, a reflective objective comprising a concave reflectorfor forming an image of the object positioned at said pick-up area insaid image plane, illuminating means comprising at least one flashlamparranged to illuminate said object at said pick-up area, secondsupporting means for adjustably supporting said reflector in opposedrelationship to said pick-up area and said first supporting means suchthan an object at said pick-up area is imaged by said reflectiveobjective at said image plane, screen means including a wall betweensaid pick-up area aNd said first supporting means, and extending in thedirection of said concave reflector so that any substantial amount oflight stemming from said illuminating means arrives at said image planevia no other path than that containing said objective, a secondreflector provided in spaced relationship with said first supportingmeans and said pick-up area for enabling a human being to observe animage on said second reflector similar to the image formed by saidconcave reflector at said image plane, and an essentially light-tightcompartment, said first supporting means being enclosed by saidcompartment, and said compartment having a door which is movable betweenfirst and second positions, the first position being such that saidcompartment is closed and the second position being such that lightstemming from said object and reflected by said reflective objective cantravel to said image plane.
 15. The camera as defined in claim 1,further comprising means provided to impart to said reflector a slightcylindrical curvature.